Just what is the best sports tourer?

[Gogol]

Collected thoughts on sportstourers

I've just been through the buying the sportstourer bit due to having to sell the GS as it was out of warranty and the girlfriend had major issues with pillioning - she's petite and struggled on the back of the 1150.

Here are my somewhat garbled thoughts:

R1100s - cracking bike - nearly bought one and was the favourite before comparative testing

Aprilia Futura an eyesore and if I wanted to lose that much money the second it came out of a showroom I'd just set fire to a (large) pile of £20 notes

Ducati ST 4 - really, really didn't work for me - ergonomics all wrong, felt awkward and very hard work/generally aggravating, especially the clutch

Triumph Sprint a nice (is that good?) bike but I think I was spoiled by having a T595 a few years back - didn't feel right, very blandola

K1200RS - different kind of beast and more than a little ungainly in town, great on the motorway though.

Fazer Thou - very cool, very nice, not quite my thing and not overly impressed with the handling. Also build quality doesn't seem to be of the highest

SuperBlackbird - 'not living in Brixton you don't' said Mr. Norwich Union

So having annoyed the f**k out of most of the dealers in Sarf London settled happily for the VTEC Viffer. Great engine - I like the VTEC kick (but then again I loved 350LCs), handling is sublime on BT020s, SWMBO raves about the pillion set up, it takes panniers (equal sizes both sides - radical concept), goes BOIIING at 7,000 and cruises happily at ridiculous speeds. Also has fabulous build quality and is comfy over distance (I currently have a 160 mile commute).

'But what about the 1200?' I hear them cry. To be honest the price/value equation is a real factor here. For a new VTEC, ABS, UK bike, I paid under £7.5k. This frees off £3k to start building my GS overlander later in the year. Thus I get my dream garage - quick sports tourer plus bombproof GS airhead. Is it me or is the 1200 way overpriced?

It may not be everyone's solution but it works for me. Its just feckin' hard work being withiut a GS even for a few months!

Paul

 

[jockster]

Wouldn't call it a sports tourer, but the Varadero takes some beating for mile munching and comfort. I know it seems to get a bashing from the press for being boring but if you want to sit at 100mph in comfort with or without a pillion it really was good. Lots of grunt around the back roads and 200 miles to the tank.
The handling wasn't up to sportsbike standard I admit but it never caused me any problems.
14,000 miles in 18 months, looked as good as new when I sold it and never used a drop of oil between services. I took it all round France and Spain and over the Pyrenees a few times.

Why did I sell it?

 

[channiere]

Sports Tourers

As a late comer to biking I started with a Tiger then progressed to an 1150GS. Then I got to thinking I needed a different style of bike and bought an ST Sprint from Woods at Abergele. The level of service from Andrew and his staff is wonderful, nothing is too much trouble and he did beat all prices I was quoted even that o of On Yer Triumph who get a better discount from Triumph than anyone else.The engine on the Triumph was much better than the Beemer and the bike felt better than the Duke ST4 or VFR. We travelled all over Europe on the ST and I have to say the only complaint I have was the panniers. They look very smart in blue but they are not practical, easily scratched against hotel doors etc. The riding position was very different to what I was used to and the speed was great. If you are carrying a pillion then the trailie style is better but for the rider theres not much between the two. I have to say though If Triumph put a shaft drive on that engine then I have a 1200GS for sale

 

[~Stef~]

a mate of mine was undecided between a VFR and a Sprint ST, the deciding factor was the Sprint was £300 a year cheaper to insure.

~Stef~

 

[MrIFan]

Apart from the BMs there apears to be a lot of "read the latest bike mag got to have one of these" type bikes being bandied about here,
IMHO The best by far sports tourer, if you are more interested in reality than fashion, is a Kawasaki Zx10. Not the latest all singing all dancing thing but the early 90s so called lemon.
Buy one now for about £1500, spend a grand on Maxton suspension, another 2 or 300 on sorting out suspension/steering bushes/bearings and if you realy need the speed another 5 or 600 on engine tuning.
Hey presto you've got a genuine 180mph continent busting missile. It's comfotable for 1000 mile days (done several on one so can vouch for that, although pillions may start to get bored after 6 or 700miles) will out handle any other sports tourer and if well ridden will keep up with most sports bikes on most any road.
Not fashionable, not even well regarded but without doubt the best tarmac eater ever made when sorted.

Like I say just my humble opinion.
Not quite as practical as the Gs but when funds allow there will be another one in my garage.

Ian

 

[BigBadBen]

a mate of mine was undecided between a VFR and a Sprint ST, the deciding factor was the Sprint was £300 a year cheaper to insure.

~Stef~

Of course the GS is only £170 fully comp for me... (33), %yrs NCB
North East

I went from Bandit, Thundercat, ZX7R, FireBlade, Tiger 955i, Sprint ST, RGS1150.

You know the score with the ZX7R and Blade...

I honestly say I'm happiest with the GS (and I ride every day).

The Tiger was great but crap finish.

The ST was fantasic but oh so bland and boring, like a VFR on sleeping tablets.

The GS, I have no intention on swapping ( the first time of any bike I have keep for more than a year!).

The GS really wins hands down, unless you want to tour at +100mph.

BBB

 

[~Stef~]

Apart from the BMs there apears to be a lot of "read the latest bike mag got to have one of these" type bikes being bandied about here,
IMHO The best by far sports tourer, if you are more interested in reality than fashion, is a Kawasaki Zx10. Not the latest all singing all dancing thing but the early 90s so called lemon.Ian

I'd agree and offer the FJ1200 for the same reason, can be had for £1000>

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

Why would a ZX10 - with 2K spent on it be better than a ZZR1100 ?

I've ridden both, and both are quick enough etc , but the 11 has a better handling 'feel' to it.
Ok - 2K worth of mods to a 10 would leap frog it - but it would still only be worth what you paid for it.

You could spend 2K on most bikes to improve them vastly.

You could say that for a cbr1000f for instance ? Same era, same size etc etc.

 

[MrIFan]

Why would a ZX10 - with 2K spent on it be better than a ZZR1100 ?

I agree that you wont get your money back but what you will get is a bike that will do the job much better than a modern bike costing several times more. Plus if you buy a new bike and put 20000 or 30000 miles on it you will lose in depreciation a lot more than it will cost to sort a Zx10 or as Stef says an FJ1200.

Why the Zx over a ZZR? easy the Zx is far more comfortable over distance. Handles and stops much better. After 15000 miles on a ZZR and a lot of money down the drain trying to sort the high speed weave through fast corners, especialy when loaded, I gave up and went back to the Zx. Also there is no cure for the low center of gravity on the ZZR pushing the front when braking. In a side by side test in the wet the Zx stoped in far shorter distances from any speed than the ZZR and is far more confidence inspiring in the dry.

Like I say IMHO the Zx takes some beating but there are as many opinions as to the best bike as there are bikes, and if it's the best for you that's all that matters.

Ian

 

[chasr]

Best sports tourer - great question.

If you want to ride to the South of France quickly & comfortably with luggage & without having to stop too often, followed by high speed twisties; It's got to be an RT. The bike is quicker round the bends than most people realize & its comfort is second to none. The only comparable bike (not the K engine - tank range is too short) is a Pan.

If you miss out the motorway misery & just want the A-road fun, VFR FiY (non VTEC - exhaust is bad for passengers & luggage). However, motorways are a pain & avoiding them severely restricts your touring options. The VFR, like most sports bikes, is boring on the motorway & hurts the wrists in queues. Fairing protection is good for a sports bike, crap compared to a faired Beemer. Blackbirds & the other larger engined bikes are no quicker on real roads, have less character (engine) & cost much more to run. The Triumphs are ugly.

If you compromise a small amount of comfort on the motorway, compromise nothing on the twisties & want the sub-B roads when you get there - GS. The GS, unlike the others, excels at low-speed touring, ie back roads, mountain roads, etc. The Varadero costs more to insure, has a chain, and gulps fuel. The Tiger is cheap & well specced, but has a chain and is ugly.

I have a 1200GS, but would have seriously considered a 1200RT had it existed.

 

[jnrobert]

Best sports tourer - great question.

The only comparable bike (not the K engine - tank range is too short) is a Pan.

FJR1300 is better imho. Having ridden all three and my brother who lives in Italy traded in his Beemer for one and loves it.

 

[mikeh501]

Re: Collected thoughts on sportstourers

Aprilia Futura an eyesore and if I wanted to lose that much money the second it came out of a showroom I'd just set fire to a (large) pile of £20 notes

Well I'm trading mine this week for a new GSA! I think your wrong on the Fut though, I've had one for 2 years and its been a great bike, faster than the VFR and outhandles it. The panniers on the Fut are intergrated too so you dont have a load of scaffolding hanging off the bike when you dont have them on.

I agree on the resale, but thats only if your insane enough to buy a UK bike @ MSRP prices i.e. 7k. I paid £5395 for mine from Taz in peterborough for a bran new parallel and have just traded it for £3800 with 10k miles, which is what 60% of its value.

Hope your happy with your new steed